Runaway
by Simply Ridiculous
Summary: After the death of her parents, Elena has been struggling with her life in Mystic Falls. Overwhelmed with guilt and grief, she flees the town and (literally) crashes into mysterious man called Damon who makes a compelling case. But what secrets is he hiding? Slightly AU. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**After getting writers block on some of my other stories I have decided to write this one instead after having the idea in my head for a while. It's the first Delena fanfiction ever, so I hope you like it :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. If I did, I would be quite a rich woman, wouldn't I? ;)**

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***Elena's POV***

The funeral was last week. Everybody dressed in black, crying as they muttered their condolences. It was all a bit of a blur. It wasn't until after the funeral that it all became real. Jeremy hid in his room, Aunt Jenna gave comforting lies and I finally understood the weight of the word 'orphan'.

My parents are dead and it's all my fault. If I had just stayed at the party instead of phoning them and insisting on a ride home we wouldn't have crashed. I've replayed the scene a million times in my head and I know I should be dead. I remember the sound of the car crashing into the water, my parents cries of panic mixing with my own as I clawed at my seatbelt. Rising water took over until I was fully submerged, banging on the window before giving into unconsciousness.

Then I woke up safe, dry and warm in a hospital room, nurses buzzing sound me, telling me that they were sorry. I have no idea how I got out, but I did.

And here I am, blessed with a life of guilt and pitied looks. That's the downside of a small town, everybody knows everything and from now on, no matter what I do, I will always have the label orphan before anything else.

Every time I go out I hear the whispers behind my back. I can't even stand to talk to my friends any more and everyday joys, such as writing in a diary, were gone. There was nothing good left to say. Nothing good left.

Not even my brother can stand to be around me any more. Perhaps that's a good thing, as I don't think I could offer him comfort.

I can't stand it. I feel like I'm drowning all over again. This isn't life and I'm not living. I need to get away from the poison that is Mystic Falls.

I know this is selfish, but I can't find it in me to care. I would have done it sooner if I had been ready to get back in a car. But I'm ready now. Ready for a new life, to stop being the girl who got her parents killed.

I've packed up my things, collected up some money and have a car full of gas. Tonight I am actually going to do it. Tonight I am going to leave.

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** *Normal POV***

The clock struck twelve and Elena was now sure that everyone else in the house was now asleep and knew she had to move fast if she was really going to do this.

Bag in hand, Elena slowly opened her bedroom door before making her way downstairs, expertly avoiding the creeks in the floorboards. Resting her hand on the front door, Elena gave one last longing look upstairs to what was left of her family. They were better off without her, she decided, before quietly unlocking the front door and stepping out into the night. She locked the door before posting the key back through the letterbox. She no longer needed it.

With a sigh, she got into the car and, after reassuring herself that it was for the best, she set out into the unknown.

"I should have left a note," Elena scolded herself. "To let them know that I'm going to be fine. That's what people usually do, right?"

She shook her head. There was no turning back now.

When she finally met the 'leaving Mystic Falls' sign, Elena let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and started to relax. She had been worried that someone back home might have seen her and reported it. Elena doubted that anything could be kept a secret in such a small town.

The further away she got from the town the more she relaxed. Loosing focus on the road, Elena fiddled with the radio, sick of the silence.

It only took a couple of seconds, but in those seconds Elena's car veered slightly into the other lane. It only took a couple more seconds before her car smashed into a oncoming vertical.

Elena went flying forwards, only to be jerked back by her seatbelt. Panic swept over her, destroying all rational thought as memories of the crash on Wickery bridge replayed in her head.

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**Sorry that Elena's a bit OOC, but she has just lost both her parents and I'm trying to go for something a bit different so...?**

**Let me know what ****_you_**** thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Big thank you to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/followed!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries:(**

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*Normal POV*

Elena could hear screaming, but didn't realise that the noise was coming from her. She was so wrapped up in the horrifying memory of her parents death that she didn't notice a dark figure climb out of the other car and walk towards her. She didn't hear her car door being pried open and didn't realise there was another person in close proximity until she felt a cold, firm hand placed on her shoulder. She let out a startled gasp.

"Hey. You're okay. You're okay." The mysterious man soothed her, coaxing her back into reality.

Taking large breaths in and out to calm herself, Elena slowly looked up to meet the most perfect blue eyes she had every seen. She didn't know eyes like that actually existed. His eyes seemed to widen in recognition.

"Katherine?" He whispered so quietly Elena had to question whether he had spoken at all.

"Sorry?" It came out as a question. The man didn't seem to notice her confusion and reached out and gently stroked her face.

"Katherine!" He voice was louder now, a mix of wonder and bewilderment. Elena shook her head, groaning at the pain it caused in her neck.

"No." She corrected him. "My name is Elena."

The handsome man frowned before lowering his hand to her neck, ignoring her protest.

"Human." He muttered, pulling backwards to take a good look at this 'Elena'.

"What?" Elena questioned, not understanding the point of his statement. Of course she was human. What else could she be?

Apparently done assessing her, the man's mouth pulled up into the gorgeous smirk she had ever set her eyes on. Who is this man?

"I'm Damon." The man – Damon – introduced himself, his name rolling off his tongue. Had she spoken out loud? Or was she just that easy to read?

Damon looked in the back of the car and saw her luggage. His smirk seemed to grow.

"Aren't you a bit young to be travelling at this time all by your lonesome." It came out as a statement followed by a chuckle. This was playing out better than he had hoped. He needed to know who this girl is and why she looked just like his Katherine.

Elena's face gave it away before she could start to sputter out excuses. He knew, she didn't know how, but he knew.

"I... It isn't..."

"Don't worry. I won't tell. I'm sure you have your reasons." It felt like he was mocking her. He made an over dramatic show of leaning to the side to inspect the front of her car. "Doesn't look like you're going to be getting very far though, does it?" Yep. Definitely mocking her.

He lent forward again, resting on her car, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Well," He continued, laying on the charm. "I could always give you a ride."

To say Elena wasn't tempted would be a lie, but she wasn't an idiot, and she wasn't about to willingly get into the car of a smooth talking stranger, no matter how good looking.

"I don't think so." She told him firmly. His smile dropped.

"Well I do." He lent forwards further into the car. As Elena shuffled backwards, his hand moved to hold her face so she was looking at him. "Sleep." He commanded.

Elena noticed there was something odd going on with his eyes, but before she could question it she felt her body giving in and her eyelids dropping. Her body slumped forward, now only being held up by the seat belt.

Damon took a moment to check around to make sure that no one would catch them. No matter why she was leaving, he was sure someone would come after Elena and he really couldn't be bothered to compel a line of worried relatives to leave.

Hearing no nearby traffic, he turned his attention back to the human girl before him. He held her face gently in his hand as he studied her features. She didn't just look similar to Katherine, she looked exactly the same. How? Why? He had no idea, but he was determined to find out.

He unbuckled her seatbelt and carefully caught her in his arms, a small smile gracing his face. He pulled her out of her car before carrying her over to his relatively undamaged one and manoeuvred her into his passenger seat.

When he had stepped out of the car just after the collision, he had been prepared to just go and kill the idiot who had managed to hit his car. But he had never expected to find the Elena.

If she was anything like Katherine, she was probably going to be pissed at him for this, well, kidnapping. With a sigh, he moved back to her car and collected her bags, maybe this will earn him some slack when she wakes up.

Moving her car off the road, Damon got back into his before setting off and turning around. After all, he didn't need to be in Mystic Falls just yet, and this could turn out to be quite and interesting detour.

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**So Elena and Damon have finally met :) What did you think? Let me know.**


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